Cotton has a complicated story. So much of what is sold in the world is grown with heavy water use, sprayed with chemicals, and processed by hands that are not paid enough. The cotton on our shelves is different. You will find US-grown organic cotton from Appalachian Baby Design, whose family farms in West Virginia trace every skein from seed to spool. You will find handspun cotton from Handspun Hope, fair-trade fiber spun by hand in Ethiopia and naturally dyed in Rwanda — work that pays the women doing it a living wage. Cotton yarn for warm-weather knits, baby blankets, dishcloths — and a better world.
If you are interested in learning more about the cotton industry, I highly recommend watching Planet Money Makes a T-shirt. This series is one of the best I've ever watched.
